The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1887-02-10

ton your attention is invited to the ma
tional legislation which has recently been
enacted.
ajor Waldo, in the course of his extended
remarks, and in answer to questions from
members of the committee said, that the
original design of the "rhe Texas Traffic
association" was to pool earnings of the
freight carried by the railroads in Texas,
but since its organization, while the same
name exists no money has ever been di-
vided, and there never has been a physical
division of any freight except cotton at
common points, or, in other words, what
are generally termed functions.
The pool results to the advantage of the
shipper in that it prevents unjust dis
ordinations, and the division of the
freights as regards cotton are made
upon per cent. agreed upon among the
roads, and it is shown that the roads carry
freights at cheaper rates than your own
legislature prescribes. The percentage of
tonnage between Texas points has been
materially increased by the association,
and small towns around large cities have
always been protected.
| The railroads would do their duty by the
state under whatever reasonable regula
tions might be prescribed by law. 1t was
true that they might deprive the markets
Of certain places of some advantages, but
in the aggregate they aimed for the gen
eral good of the people whom they were
serving. 1t was not considered fair for
instance, to put New Orleans on a par in
rates with st. Louis, but such seemed to
be the demands of the traffic. There
we're no advantages which worked in favor
of places as large as Dallas over smaller
places like Corsicana and Waco. In
making cotton rates to point
| it was the custom to make rate
without regard to rates of the inter-
mediate points. Contiguity to shipping
points had some effect. Prior to what
you call pooling, there was wide differ
ence between local rates and the proper
ton which the same road received for
carrying beyond the state.
Being asked if the gross earnings of
the railroads he represented had been
grea, er or less "since the pooling" he
said: The roads had not gotten up rates
materially since 1878. l don't under
stand that it is your object to decrease
railroad earnings. l imagine many of
the complaints about discrimination in
rates are wrong, and that these are clam
ors not founded In fact, An investigation
would show this. And where there had
been complaints it was not so much on
account of the roads refusing transport
tation as want of transportation facilities.
| There was no boom in the railroads in
this state, and as matter of fact, some
of them have not been able to pay the
| interest on their bonds. The bonds were
a debt in the hands of innocent parties
whom they were bound to pay, and ex-
pected to pay. Being asked if there had
not been some pooling arrangements
since the Arkansas Pass railway connec-
ton, he said the Huntington interest did
make some special arrangements to han
die freights that had heretofore been
handled by ships, but complaint had been
made, and to the best of his knowledge,
rates were restored. 1t was agreed that
ships were had at such expense that it
would be better to have the railroads
carry the freights. In answer to a ques-
ton of Mr.. Page as to what he would do
in case he was farmer, producing two or
three bales of cotton yearly, if the trans
portation company imposed a charge of
SO per bale for its carriage, Mr.. Waldo
replied that he would "quit raising
cotton"
As to the proposed creation of railway
commission he argued that it would be
injurious to railroad interests in this
state. You can't select three men, pay
them what your bill proposes, $2500 each,
and hedge them around with such restric-
tions as are proposed, and get competent
men for such service.
Mr.. Camp-Supposew we make the salary
$4,000?
Mr.. Waldo-I am speaking of what
your bill proposes to pay them. Having
three men to take charge of the property
of railroad, would be like your letting
them take charge of your farm, which l
am sure you would not approve.
Mr.. Page-Is it not fact that in five
states where they have railway commits
sions, the railroad mileage has since been
doubled?
Mr. Waldo-In one of these, Missis-
sippi, the commission perhaps, added to
the backwardness of railroad construc-
ton. Missouri was one of the first states,
think, to give arbitrary powers to rail
road commissioners, and her progress had
not been fairly IN keeping with her
natural advantages georgia mas COM
mission and has advanced in progress,
but don't consider her progress due to
the railway commission. You can have
one here, ard progress, too, when you do
as Georgia did to promote her progress.
When we agree to maintain uniform
rates l don't think we destroy
competition in the business of
the community. AS for re-
bates given by some railroads there has
been none since the organization of the
Texas Traffic association. 1t was organ
lied to help the state operate its own
laws. Rates on Texas cotton, ETC., were
reduced, and in the general aggregate
there has been reduction of rates. In
some little places, of course, there has
been none. AS to the maximum rate your
law allows the railroad companies regard
the rates on cotton between stations
too high, and it is their intention to re-
duce them, even if your Legislature does
nothing, and for this reason l don't think
any legislation necessary.
CURE FOR PILES.
Piles are frequently preceded by
sense of weight In the back, loins and
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